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McCormick’s Grill Mates - Love ‘em or Leave ‘em?

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    #31
    Nate Some of that is in this article. https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...e-herbs-spices

    As to what works together, I think that is a black art that cooks learn by trial and error. I am working on some of that for my next book and will post it here when I am done, but who would have guessed that peanut butter and banana work (did Elvis invent it)? I have been told by a number of chefs and competition cooks that they start with my rub recipes and then riff on them, adding more of this, less of that, deleting something, adding something, using it as a baseline. Like a jazz musician will take the theme of a song and run away with it. I do stuff like put 4 slices into the surface of a slab of ribs and then in each section use a different rub variation.

    The whole thing is complicated by the fact that taste is a matter of taste. You might like it hotter than I do. I hear from a LOT of people that they leave the rosemary out of Meathead's Memphis Dust because they hate the stuff (despite the fact that you can't taste it in the final blend after cooking it). The inspiration for the ginger came from some ribs I ate in a Chinese restaurant with slivers of giner. It reall works. Then there is the fact that cooking alters the flavor profiles, especially sugar.

    I am struggling with this now. I need rub recipes in the next book but don't want to duplicate the ones on the website. Also, I am trying to bring in new exotic flavors from Asia, Africa, etc. To get there I have one each of just about every spice and herb known to man. Probably 150? So when I want to create a fish rub I stare at bottles looking for inspiration. Problem is that I badly want to grab the tried and true: I love tarragon on fish, but it is the backbone of Marietta's Fish Rub https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...ish-rub-recipe, so I have to pull my arm back as I reach for it.

    This is from the chapter in the next book on combinations

    Winning Teams
    In deciding which way to go, it is helpful to learn some of the great combinations. Sugar acid is one great balletic tandem, and acid and fat is another. Fat coats the tongue, and acid washes it away. Sweet and salty is another as in salted caramel or potato chips dipped in chocolate (if you haven’t tried this, put the book down and go do it now). Red wine and red meat, white wine and white meat are traditional, but my favorite wine combination is sweet French Sauternes with a great blue cheese like French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola, or English Stilton. Pork and apples. Ham and pineapple. Strawberries and chocolate. Here are some flavor combinations where 1 + 1 = 3

    Acid <--- > Sweet (Example: Lemonade)
    Sweet <---> Salt (Salted caramel)
    Fatty <---> Acid (Fried Chicken with Sauvignon Blanc)
    Sweet <---> Spicy (Kansas City BBQ Sauce with Cayenne)
    Bitter <---> Sweet (Tea or Coffee with Sugar)
    Salt <---> Umami (Salted Steak)
    Umami <---> Bitter (Soy sauce and Wasabi)


    Great Food Pairings
    Here are some of the alltime great food pairings. Notice how their taste compounds work together. One of my favorites is fried chicken with sauvignon blanc. Take a bite of the chicken and your mouth is coated with the rich fat from the chicken and the frying. Then take a sip of the acidic wine and it cuts the fat, washes it away, replaces it with the grassy/fruity wine’s flavors, and the effect is like brushing your teeth. You are ready for another bite of chicken, then wine, then chicken…

    Apple pie and ice cream.
    Bacon and eggs.
    Bagels, cream cheese, and lox.
    Bread and butter.
    Burger and fries and ketchup.
    Chips and beer.
    Chocolate and banana.
    Chocolate and Porto.
    Coffee and donuts.
    Cucumber and dill.
    Eggs and tarragon or thyme.
    Grilled Cheese and tomato soup.
    Ham and cheese.
    Ham and pineapple.
    Honey and mustard.
    Hummus and pita.
    Lamb and rosemary and garlic.
    Lime and coconut.
    Mac and cheese.
    Meatballs and tomato sauce.
    Melon and prosciutto.
    Milk and cookies.
    Mushrroms and cream.
    Oatmeal and raisins.
    Onions and garlic.
    Peaches and cream.
    Peanut butter and jelly.
    Pizza and beer.
    Popcorn and butter.
    Pork and apples.
    Pork and fennel.
    Potato and malt vinegar and salt.
    Ribs and Kansas City BBQ Sauce.
    Sausage and mustard.
    Sauternes and roquefort.
    Shrimp and grist.
    Strawberries and chocolate.
    Tahini and honey.
    Tomatoes and basil.
    Tomatoes and oregano.
    Tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella.
    Vanilla ice cream and vanilla.
    Yogurt and fruit.


    I wish I could be more help.

    Comment


    • Nate
      Nate commented
      Editing a comment
      This is awesome! Thank you for the great response. Can't wait to see the big posts put together as that new book.

    • IowaGirl
      IowaGirl commented
      Editing a comment
      "...you can't taste it [rosemary] ... after cooking it)..."

      Funny thing is ... maybe most people can't, but apparently I can. It creates a distinct, odd tang at the back and sides of my tongue. In trying to figure out what ingredient is causing this, I've made MMD without ginger but with rosemary --> tang is still there. MMD with ginger and without rosemary ... no tang. Go figure, huh?

      Best of luck with your writing, Meathead!

    • Mr. Bones
      Mr. Bones commented
      Editing a comment
      "Peas and Carrots." comes to mind, also
      "Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet", as well

    #32
    Nate You’re on the right track changing up what you already have/like...

    Years ago, long before the culinary school nonsense, there was a chili blend that I liked. It still needed a little something but was pretty good. But 1, it was starting to go way up in price and 2, worse still, it was becoming hard to find.

    I bought some with the intention of deconstructing it.
    The ingredients list was right there...just not the amounts...but I knew what the final weight should be.

    So, armed with an accurate scale and bunch of ingredients...I started to experiment. Presuming that the first ingredient had the most volume I went from there. After numerous attempts I finally nailed it. Now I could make bunches of it for a 1/4 of what it cost readymade. AND, since I already used to doctor it up, I could customize it from the start. That’s what actually started me on my spice blending journey.

    As for adding bourbon, honey, smoke... All of those are available in powdered form.

    Comment


    • Nate
      Nate commented
      Editing a comment
      Awesome. Thanks!

    • surfdog
      surfdog commented
      Editing a comment
      Nate You’re welcome.
      And as Meathead said about people riffing on his rubs...start there and riff away. I know you’re already doing that, but it’s also a great way to learn by having a solid foundation/starting point.

    #33
    I met a guy that had a rub he put on his ribs that gave them a fried taste. It even looks like they are fried. He didn’t want to relinquish his secret recipe but he did say you can buy it at the health food store and that he grinds it to mix. I think it’s added to the ribs towards the end of the cook !

    Comment


    • tbob4
      tbob4 commented
      Editing a comment
      Is it a fried texture and taste or just texture? I don’t have the answer but your response may help someone who has and idea narrow it down.

    #34
    Any idea what he’s using?

    Comment


      #35
      I generally make my own rubs/seasonings (all-purpose, rib, pork butt) and rubs with no salt for chicken & beef (Simon/Garfunkel, Big Bad Beef rub) - thank you AR. The only two commercial rubs/seasonings I really have in the cupboard are Lawreys Seasoned Salt, Spice Islands Beau Mond seasoning and Suzy Q’s Santa Maria seasoning. I use Suzy Q’s and Beau Mond all the time for specific recipes. Lawrey’s goes into my all-purpose rub.

      Tried making my own BBQ sauce for years, but finally got smart and just found a sauce I really liked and then buy it in bulk.
      Last edited by TripleB; November 29, 2019, 02:34 PM.

      Comment


        #36
        Montreal Steak! I get the big one at Sam's. Everybody loves my steaks and that's all I use.

        Comment


          #37
          It gives it a fried look and taste. It was really good.

          Comment


            #38
            Yes, it has a salty taste but not too much it could be confused for fried ribs. It’s something he’s adding and he learned about a long time ago from an older BBQ cook.
            thanks for trying to help. Remember he said it comes from the health food store in a solid form and has to break it down to a powdery form. Someone else thought it was an amino acid.

            Comment


              #39
              We always have Montreal Steak Seasoning in the spice cabinet. Great on burgers. We like Famous Dave’s chicken rub. I make my own for ribs and pulled pork. As a general rule, if you like it, use it.

              Comment


                #40
                Nope! My sister gave me a jar of one of em & it sat in my cupboard for a year, tossed it. Just not my preference. 🕶

                Comment


                  #41
                  Before I was "BBQ Reborn" , my favorite was always Montreal Steak for burgers & steaks, and Famous Dave’s Rib Rub on anything pork... BUT, my problem was always the SALT... many times, by the time I had the amount of flavor I liked, it was just too damned salty!
                  After finding Amazing Ribs & reading most all of Meathead’s articles, I tried dry-brining ahead of time & using no-salt rubs, and I doubt I ever go back!
                  So far, I’ve made my own, strictly because of the salt issue, but I’m trying to find no-salt rubs... two I can definitely brag on, though:
                  1) Simple Truth Organic Smokehouse BBQ (the only line of seasonings at my tiny local Kroger that doesn’t load up the salt—- only tried this one so far, but it is superb, next to no salt, very little sugar, can add if desired easily) I plan on trying all 4 varieties.
                  z
                  2) Gambling Stick BBQ’s house rub: he doesn’t normally sell it, but in my effort to duplicate his Pigsket, I contacted him via FB, and he sold me a couple 4oz tubs... this stuff is amazingly non-spicy, non-sweet, paprika based, with complex, layered umami-type flavor (maybe paprika, garlic, onion, dash of cumin or annatto???). He doesn’t normally sell it, but I’m doing my best to copy it, have come damn close, and will post the recipe when I figure it out... definitely worth a try!
                  Attached Files

                  Comment


                  • smokin fool
                    smokin fool commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Agree 100% on the salt use MSS once in a blue moon now
                    Rely on my homemade rub but I do augment with some commercial rubs

                  • patcrail
                    patcrail commented
                    Editing a comment
                    @ smokin fool : glad to hear I’m not the only one... I do have a couple I’ve found that have very little salt, and would love to find more, honestly.... what is this MSS I keep seeing?.
                    Edit: oh, head-slap! Are you speaking of Montreal Steak Seasoning?
                    Last edited by patcrail; July 10, 2020, 03:48 PM.

                  #42
                  I am always too lazy to make my own rubs and therefore my spice cabinet is full of various commercial rubs including a couple from McCormick. I like their hamburger seasoning, Montreal Steak, and rotisserie Chicken rub in particular.

                  Comment


                  • Mr. Bones
                    Mr. Bones commented
                    Editing a comment
                    yup

                  #43
                  After mixing my own, I've found Montreal Steak seasoning is just as good and much less expensive from Costco.

                  Comment


                    #44
                    All you guys that buy store-bought, like Grill Mates, you don’t have an issue with all the salt in it? I used it exclusively for years, along with Famous Dave’s, but it was always too salty if I put enough on to suit my taste on the rest... I started mixing my own after reading about dry-brining here, and it’s really opened up a different new world for me.... I don’t mind buying spices, especially cheap store- brand for rubs, and I’m positive I’m not spending more, spending minimal effort, and get to tweak it as I go

                    Comment


                    • Mr. Bones
                      Mr. Bones commented
                      Editing a comment
                      patcrail fer th Benefit of those, who like me, are apparently ignorant, please elaborate on jus what GSW is...means one thing in my experience (Gun Shot Wound), Google gives me some university in GA, frankly; I'm both intrigued, an mystified...

                    • patcrail
                      patcrail commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Mr. Bones , it’s gun shot wound.

                    • Mr. Bones
                      Mr. Bones commented
                      Editing a comment
                      GSW So sorry to hear that ya became a Member of that particular Club, Brother...ime, ain't no kinda fun thing. Glad yer still here. probly see ya at one of th Club meetins...

                    #45
                    Montreal Steak seasoning is my favorite.

                    Comment

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